One of the terms I’ve noticed the antique media use almost exclusively when
describing conservatives or Republicans is “embattled.”

This according to John Hinderaker at Powerline who links to Gateway Pundit who has video of a reporter applying that term to Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld.

Here is the exchange…..

Reporter: Do you feel embattled at this point in your tenure? In a recent column, Maureen Dowd quoted an unidentified administration official who described you as an “eccentric old uncle who’s ignored.” She claims that you don’t hold the same sway in meetings.

Rumsfeld: Did you get all that? You want to be on camera, right? That’s a sure way to get on the evening news. The answer to your question is no.

Reporter: Well, I’m asking about the facts reported in the column. Do you feel you hold the same sway in meetings?

Rumsfeld: I’m not going to comment on that.

(Pause)- Rumsfeld looks away for a moment, then…

Rumsfeld: If you believe everything you read in Maureen Dowd, you better get a life.

Oooh. Cool, Rummy. Rumsfeld is such a John Wayne.

I think the name of the reporter in this exchange is Jamie McIntyre of CNN.

McIntyre has quite a history of looking for the negative angle when covering the war in Iraq.